Soft sided suitcase



Aug. 11, 1953 Filed April 27, 1951 1. J. MEYERS 2,648,411

SOFT, SIDED SUITCASE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR IRVING J. MEYERS BY 6 2 2 ATTSTRNEYS.

Aug 11, 1953 Filed April 27 1951 l. J. MEYERS 2,648,411

SOFT SIDED SUITCASE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR IRVING .1. MEYERS,

' w ,6 6 8 ATTOENEY l. J. MEYERS SOFT SIDED SUITCASE Aug. 11,1953

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 27 1951 FIG FIG; 8

m T R N E E Y V E M m .J G r V m TTORNEY S.

Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT Q-FFICE 2 Claims.

to secure the lid to the covering on the frame in such a way that the latter covering is not marred by the movement of the fastener.

Luggage having so-called soft sides is conventional. Such articles have been provided with stiffening frames for both the Wall of the container and the associated rim of the lid. In such constructions, the rim of the lid has usually been sufliciently rigid to enable hinge and lock means to be secured thereto for fastening the lid to the side wall of the luggage article. In

contrast to such prior forms, the article of the present invention provides a much simplified and much lighter construction. In this form, the lid has no stiff rim and the soft edge of the lid is directly secured to the main portion of the luggage article by a slidable fastener which is resiliently mounted on the main portion of the luggage article and with respect to the rigid side wall frame thereof. The lid is placed under tension when in the closed position. The tensioning of the lid by the action of the slidable fastener when the lid is closed occurs simultaneously with a tensioning of the surface of the covering on the main portion of.

the side walls, as will be clear from further de- M tailed description herein.

More specifically, one of the features of this improved construction is that the side coveringof the piece of luggage is so constructed as to include elastic material associated with a slidable fastener. As a result of this construction, an advantage is provided in that the slidable fastener will not pull apart or separate. This is due to the stretchable nature of the elastic. material. The usual strain is not present such as would cause the failure of a slidable fastener in a conventional mounting of such a fastener.

A further advantage is due to the fact that the article of luggage can be overpacked to the extent that the soft side walls bulge and thus the total capacity of the piece of luggage isgreater than if those main walls Were of rigid material. Despite such bulging and stretching, the slidable. fastener is assured of perfect oneration because of the stretchable nature. of. the

2 elastic material associated with th s abl fa tener.

Easy operation of, the slidable fastener is facilitated and expedited after the movable element of the slidable fastener has been partially opened. This is because of the fact that the elastic material assists in opening the lid. The opening movement of the lid and the cooperation of the elastic material assist in so positioning the opposite sides of the slidable fastener that the movable element thereof will glide freely.

The elastically stretchable material may be carried by the covering material of the side wall or by the lid section, or by both.

The foregoing and further advantages and details will be understood from the following specification and claims when considered in view of the accompanying drawings,in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a suitcase involving this invention looking somewhat downwardly toward the front, top, and one end of the case, the lid being in the closed position and the slidable fastener closed;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. l but with the slidable fastener in a position nearly completely open, the lid being raised somewhat to illustrate its flexibility;

Fig. 3 is a. view of the rear or hinged portion of the case shown in Fig. 1 with the lid and the slidable fastener closed;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig; 1, lookin in the direction of the arrows, showing the slidable fastener closed;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in section. similar to that of the upper portion of Fig. 5 showing the slidable fastener open;

Fig. 7' illustrates another form of this improved.

suitcase in which the elastically stretchable material is carried by the lid;

Fig. 8 is. a cross sectional view taken on line 8--8 of Fig. '7' showing the fastener closed;

Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to Fig. 8 but with the fastener in the open position; and

Fig. 10 illustrates another form of suitcase in which elastically stretchable material is used on.

coated textile. The cover material for the handle supporting face or front of the suitcase is indicated at l. The material is continued around the respective ends as indicated at l and l The covering at the base of the suitcase is not shown in Figs. 1 and 2 but is identified at 2 in Fig. 5. The opposite face consisting of the lid of the suitcase is indicated at 3. Manifestly the opposite faces 2 and 3 are the broader faces of the suitcase when the handle is in the uppermost position, and the side faces 2 and 3, which in this invention are soft, are therefore in contrast to the top I and end walls I and l Adequate rigidityfor the suitcase is provided by a single continuous wall 4, preferably of plywood, and which in the present instance has four sides, the corner portions being somewhat rounded to insure strength and assist in avoiding distortion. The wall 4 extends the full height of the suitcase (as viewed in Fig. 5), except for the thickness of the covering material on the faces 2 and 3. In other words, the inner face of the covering 3 would rest directly on the wall 4, except that the upper edge of the wall 4 is covered by the material of the walls I, l and I. In practice, a satisfactory construction is provided by continuing the Wallcovering I, I and l over the upper edge of the wall 4 and thence slightly downwardly for a short distance so that there is sufficient covering material to be tacked or otherwise secured on the inner face of the wall B and slightly below its upper edge.

The completed case preferably contains a suitable-lining depending on personal taste and sales appeal, but the lining is not illustrated as it forms no part of the essential construction.

The hinging of the lid portion 3 to the wall 4 and main portion of the suitcase is effected by a construction which will now be described. The covering of the side walls l and l is extended around the rear corners slightly and the extreme ends of those coverings are secured to a strip 5 of covering material strong enough and durable enough to serve as the bottom of a suitcase when the handle is uppermost. The strip extends from the face 2 to the face 3 and thus across the entire width of the suitcase at the bottom thereof. The piece 5 is sewed or otherwise secured to the ends of the coverings l and l as by suitable stitching 6 and 1, respectively. Preferably also the opposite edges of the strip 5 are sewed to face coverings 2 and 3 by stitching, as indicated. Around the periphery of the face covering 2, that face material is sewed to the material of the adjacent side wall. A suitable binding 8, somewhat U-shape in cross section, is used to provide a trim and bead for the portions thus sewed together, and preferably the stitching is extended through the binding and through the edge portions of the enclosed layers of the covering material thus secured. Such a trim or bound edge is indicated at 9 and adjoins the face covering 3. Similar construction is used at the base of the suitcase where the piece 5 is secured to the binding 8 and the lower covering 2.

The construction which provides for the hinged relation between the cover or lid 3 and the rear or bottom wall of the suitcase preferably includes structural details such as shown in section in Fig. 4. In that view, it will be observed that the upper end of the cover piece 5 terminates within the U-shaped binding 9. Also within the binding 9 and next adjacent the upper edge portion of the piece 5 is a strip of covering material H) which extends from the binding 9 across the upper edge of the wall 4 and thence downwardly for a short distance on the inside of the wall 4. The downwardly extending portion of it may be secured to the wall 4 by any suitable means in substantially the same manner that the wall portion I is secured to the wall 4 as shown in Fig. 5, as for example by tacking. It will also be observed in Fig. 4 that within the binding 9 and on the opposite side of the piece ID from the piece 5, there is also secured by stitching the extreme rear edge of the top cover material 3. When the lid or cover 3 is folded back in the open position as far as it will go, the material of the strip 5 is likewise folded on itself, thus serving as hinge means.

Fig. 5 illustrates the construction which is used for the top and side wall fastening assembly. In this arrangement, a slidable fastener is used. Sliding locking elements for the fastener are indicated at H (Figs. 1 and 2), and the respective rows of interengaging teeth are indicated at I2. In Fig. 5, these teeth, are shown in the closed position, indicating that the lid of the suitcase is likewise closed. The usual tapes or strips to which the slidable fastener interengaging units are secured are indicated at l3 and I l. The edge of the uppermost strip i3 is secured within the binding 9 along with the extreme lateral edge of the upper covering 3, so that the fastener units or teeth [2 of that strip depend downwardly along the side wall 4 and its covering. The corresponding strip M of the lower set of interengaging fastener elements hang downwardly from the line of the fastener teeth 12 and has its lower edge sewed or otherwise fastened to a strip of elastically stretchable material l5 which extends for the complete length of the slidable fastener, thus from one edge of the covering 5 to the opposite edge thereof and around both ends and the front of the piece of luggage. The elastically stretchable strip 15 has its lower edge fastened as indicated by sewing at IE to the covering over the face of the wall 4. As shown in Fig. 5, the strip I5 is secured by the stitching IE to the end wall covering I and the upper edge portion of the elastically stretchable material it is secured to the lower edge portion of the strip l4 by stitching IT. The material of the strip i5 is stretchable over the face of the wall 4 at right angles to the line of the slidable fastener. The relation of these parts is so designed that the strip I5 is placed under tension when the slidable fastener is in its closed relation. This tensioning effect provided by the strip [5 and the action of closing the fastener serves to provide tension to the material of the top 3, so as to avoid folds, bagginess and an unsightly appearance which might occur if the top 3, constituting one of the sides of the suitcase, were not taut. The strip l5 must therefore be narrower when the slidable fastener is in the open position than when the fastener is closed and tension has been applied to the strip 15 and to the top. It will thus be clear that the mounting for each row of fastener teeth of the slidable fastener includes all of the goods extending between the respective rows of teeth and that part of the case to which they are secured. It will also be clear that in Figures 1, 3, 5 and 6, the mounting for the lower row of teeth includes the strip of elastic but that in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the elastic is included in the mounting for the upper row of teeth. It will also be clear that in the construction shown in Figure 10, the mounting for both upper and. lower rows of teeth of the slidable fastener includes elastically stretchable material. As shown in Fig. 6, the strip I is in the nonstretched position, and accordingly the interengaging portions of the slidable fastener are separated to a similar extent. The tensioning of the strip l5 likewise provides to some degree for a tensioning of the coverings I, l and I on the ends and front of the suitcase.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5' and 6, the elastically stretchable material !5 is mounted on the covering of the side wall 4. A modification of that construction is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, which show the construction in which the elastic material is carried by the lid.

Referring in detail to Fig. 7, it will be noted that this view shows the top or handle face of the suitcase with the slidable elements of the fastener in closed position. The strip of elastically stretchable material I5 is positioned between the slidable fastener and the peripheral bead 9.

Fig. 8 shows the elastically stretchable strip is secured to the face covering 3 within the U-shaped binding 9 of the trim or edge material. The material l5 extends downwardly, the flexible strip E3 of one side of the slidable fastener is secured to the lower edge portion of the elastic material i5 by suitable stitching I1. This construction thus provides that the lower edge of the tape or strip of the opposite jaws of the slidable fastener is secured to the side wall covering by suitable stitching as shown at it.

In Fig. 9, the construction shown in Fig. 8 is illustrated with the slidable fastener in the open position. It will be noted that the width of the strip [5 from the binding 9 to the strip i3 is less in Fig. 9 than in Fig. 8, and this is due to the fact that the elastic is not under tension in Fig. 9 whereas, according to Fig. 8, it has been slightly stretched due to the closing action of the fastener. This stretching action on the strip I5 is similar to that in the operation of the construction shown in Figs. 5

and 6 except for the fact that the location of the strip i5 has been moved to the opposite side of the slidable fastener.

Fig. 10 illustrates a further modification according to which two strips of elastically stretchable material are used, one according to the construction in Fig. 5 below the slidable fastener and the other according to Fig. 8 above the slidable fastener.

A conventional handle it is indicated. It is secured to the wall 4.

The construction described in the foregoing and illustrated in the accompanying drawings provides an advantage mentioned hereinbefore as being due to the fact that the article of luggage can be over packed to the extent that the soft side walls may bulge. Such bulging action is provided with an automatic control, however, because of the influence of the elastically stretchable material which is associated with the slidable fastener. The following factors contribute to this controlled stretch of the soft side walls of this piece of luggage. It will be obvious that the material of the lid 3 is free to slide over the upper edge of the wall 4 and that such sliding is subject to the control of the slidable fastener and to its associated elastically stretchable material I 5. It will also be clear that the side wall cover over the outer face of the wall 4 is free to slide over the outer surface of the wall and that the material of the lower face 2 of the suitcase is free to slide over the lower edge of the wall A. In short, it will be apparent that the side wall covering is not secured to the outer face of the wall t and that the material of the lower face 2 is not permanently secured to the adjacent edge of the wall 4. In view of this construction, a small measure of relative sliding motion is thus possible between the side wall and lower face coverings and those sur faces of the wall here identified. The action of the elastically stretchable material l5 and the operation of the slidable fastener may thus exert a tensioning action on the material, as described.- It thus follows that the bulging of the cover walls 2 and 3 of a piece of luggage when somewhat stretched and bulging is resisted by the action of the elastically stretchable material l5. It will also be clear that after the article of luggage has been unpacked and the strain from such bulging has been relieved, any slack or appearance of stretching in the cover walls 2 and 3 will be taken up by the influence of the elastically stretchable material [5 and this is by reason of the fact that the covering material is free to slide over the opposite edges of the wall 4 and over its outer surface.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the suitcase of the present invention is of relatively light weight but has a unitary and strong frame and that the respective soft cover walls 2 and 3 thereof can nevertheless be provided with a considerable tautness when the suitcase is closed, thereby enhancing the desirable appearance of the article. Concurrently with these advantages, it will be obvious that the suitcase is such that its full contents can remain in position when the case is opened, and access can be had merely by disengaging the fastener parts and simply rolling back or throwing back the flexible covering comprising the lid or top.

It will also be manifest that the present invention dispenses with hardware, such as metallic hinges, locks and latches. A single stiffening frame for the side wall is required. Fastening of the lid is accomplished by the use of a slidable fastener so mounted that it will not mar the luggage surface and which will so fasten the lid to the edge of the side wall that the lid is under tension and thus free from unsightly slackness, folds or bagginess.

I claim:

1. An article of luggage comprising a rigid frame constituting an interior peripheral supporting wall and defining the opposite sides, one of said sides being openable, a permanent covering extending over the side opposite the open side over the exterior surface of said frame, and over the edge of the open side of said frame, said covering being attached to said frame adjacent said edge, a lid for said article constituting a closure for the open side, said lid being of flexible material and having an edge portion hingedly secured to a portion of said covering at the edge of the open side of said frame; said lid, when in the closed position, engaging the covered edge of the open side of said frame, a slide fastener having two rows of interlocking parts for securing the remaining edge portion of said lid against the remaining covered edge portion of the open side of said frame, a tape mounting one row of the interlocking parts and being supported from said covering material of said frame along a peripheral line intermediate that portion of said covering attached to said frame and that side opposite the open side, a tape mounting the other row of interlocking parts and being supported from the peripheral edges of said lid, and a peripheral strip of elastically stretchable material being positioned between at least one of said tapes and its respective supporting medium, and connecting said tape thereto.

2. An article of luggage comprising a rigid frame constituting an interior peripheral supporting wall and defining the opposite sides, one of said sides being openable, a permanent covering extending over the side opposite the open side over the exterior surface of said frame, and over the edge of the open side of said frame, said covering being attached to said frame adjacent said edge, a lid for said article constituting a closure for the open side, said lid being of flexible material and having an edge portion hingedly secured to a portion of said covering at the edge of the open side of said frame; said lid, when in the closed position, engaging the covered edge of the open side of said frame,

a slide fastener having two rows of interlocking parts for securing the remaining edge portion of said lid against the remaining covered edge portion of the open side of said frame, a first mounting for mounting one row of the interlocking parts and being supported from said covering material of said frame along a peripheral line intermediate that portion of said covering attached to said frame and that side opposite the open side, a second mounting for mounting the other row of interlocking parts and being supported from the peripheral edges of said lid, and a peripheral strip of elastically stretchable material positioned between one adjacent row of interlocking parts and its respective supporting medium.

IRVING JOSEPH MEYER-S.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,799,210 Blaskopf Apr. '7, 1931 1,949,677 Crawford Mar. 6, 1934 2,178,885 Buff et al. Nov. 7, 1939 2,490,222 Lowe Dec. 6, 1949 2,531,302 Schwennicke Nov. 21, 1950 fix 

